Notes of a stoned June, part 1

So it was a cold winter evening. When a crazy thought crossed my mind.

— And why not? Should I take up programming? It is difficult to remember the first steps in this direction. Fortran, BASIC, Assembler… And all this on punched cards and magnetic tapes… I remember students soldering Spectrums. and I even wrote simple games. He did not invent the boat, but he created some small programs for the joy of children. However, all this was in another universe, in another dimension and time…

And now, after 30 years, I decided to catch up and go back to learning programming! I must say, folks, this is not for the faint of heart. But if the desire burns inside, then nothing will stand in the way of the goal. And invincible life experience will help me master this insidious science faster. Therefore, going to take up programming, I am sure that in the end, everything will work out!

Here I intend to display my thorny path, victories and defeats.

Iron armchair

I felt incredible freedom when I finally decided to change my life and dive into the world of code. Having taken up the matter with all determination, I intended to sacrifice my status computer, which until now had the role of a media center. Gritting my teeth, I pulled up a chair to this information distribution center and began to work. However, for a long time I did not manage to stay on the same wavelength, because my body rebelled. The deceptively warm atmosphere did not seem to bother my organism. But I felt that the biorhythm of my muscles, which were supposed to keep my neck and back in a position that was harmonious for my health, was disturbed. Moreover, I noticed that my wife was in an anxious mood. The back and forth movement of the iron in her hands became sharper, and the steam seemed to escape with an ominous hiss. Whether it was her innate tact, or my tousled head with a slightly demonic look, stopped her from expressing displeasure. There was a distinct smell of ozone in the air, the strength of the electric field in the room foreshadowed an imminent lightning discharge. Having soberly assessed the disposition, the ratio of armament of the parties, after analyzing the situation on the basis of cause-and-effect relationships, I took out my old laptop, went down to the first floor and effectively settled down at the stove, where I continued to focus my attention on business.

I must say that I wisely chose a place perfectly suited to combat the winter cold. However, the change of location did not solve the issues of blood supply to the limbs and the functionality of the muscles. Among other things, the laptop hung, barely moving electrons in the processor and disks in the hard drive. Everything said that the path of knowledge would not be easy, and it would be reckless to start it without providing the proper equipment. Taking into account that the theme of the viability of the body is the basis of any business, in the first article I dealt with the issue of comfortable body arrangement, that is, a work chair. Running around the shops looking for something that I like and acceptable for my conscience and family budget at the same time did not cause positive emotions in me. On reflection, I remembered my, standing under analysis, “Peugeot”. Among the positive memories of him, there was an enthusiastic impression of the front seats of this unpredictably breaking mechanism. The time when I was able to move on it, the only thing that did not cause complaints was comfort. Fortunately, merging a standard turntable with a car seat, having a welder and a grinder on hand, is a matter of one evening. The result more than satisfied me.

There was a question of laptop performance. Here, the matter was not resolved on the spur of the moment. A sleepless night with vain attempts to at least somehow stir up the old man did not add good nature and favor to Windows in me. By morning, I already knew for sure that a divorce from Winda was inevitable, a new exciting life with Ubuntu was ahead. But more on that below…

And for everyone who decides to connect their pastime at the computer, I would strongly recommend taking control over the issue of comfort – you yourself will be amazed at how much the efficiency of your activity will increase! The place where you spend most of your time should be comfortable and convenient. And this is not only to protect your back and eyes, but also in order not to be distracted by trifles. But what a terrible thing to be distracted from work!

New novel in the old way

As for the work itself, it is necessary to start from the foundation – the operating system.

For a long time I wanted something new in my life. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought: what have I achieved in this world? And then I remembered Linux. I heard a lot of good things about him. They say that this is a real stumbling block for those who want to advance in the world of technology.

I googled, roughly speaking, a certain Ubuntu. According to the people, it is protected from all biological and chemical attacks, impenetrable, like granite mithril. I was struck by such epithets to the depths of my soul, and I decided to choose it.

I started to “dig” in this wonderful world, but I already sniffed a lot of interesting things. It is inspiring to think that I will be part of a mysterious and fascinating community, where everyone wears their own T-shirt with a loud inscription “I am also a Linuxoid!”. Well, Ubuntu, I’m with you!

Imagine, dear ones, how painfully I had to download the Ubuntu operating system to my computer.

This whole procedure reminded me of a gallop through burning obstacles, where it was impossible to make a mistake. The first step, of course, was to find a suitable OS loader. Despite the abundance of offers, the most popular and publicized ones turned out to be paid ones. For me, raised on pirated videotapes, paid software is like a razor through my veins. After sleepless nights, I dug up a free and simple Ventoy utility. I threw the Ubuntu distribution on it, and voila – I was finally able to boot Ubuntu on my computer. But you know what’s most interesting? Getting used to this OS turned out to be much easier than downloading it to a PC!

So, my dears, if you are also planning to switch to Ubuntu, do not be afraid of difficulties and act persistently. In the end, all difficulties only strengthen our will and mental abilities!

And since I let out a dinosaur, I decided to work in Ubuntu, as in the old days on DOS. Yes, yes, I remember the time when three floppy disks were required to boot the operating system (the current generation doesn’t even know the word – a floppy disk).

Working in the Ubuntu terminal is like pumping water from a well: it may seem difficult and rough, but if you learn this skill, then no other way will seem quite effective.

When I first entered the world of Ubuntu, I was like a fish released onto dry land: everything was new and unknown. But I knew I had to carry my water basket, even if it meant stepping into the unknown world of terminals and commands.

And I have not regretted my choice. Working in the Ubuntu terminal is a way to master Linux like no other. There is nothing superfluous here, just you and the command line. Running commands and configuring the system directly is a great way to take full control of your computer.

If I could give advice, then I would suggest joining the Ubuntu terminal world. You will be surprised how fun and useful it can be. As they say, come and try.